News Archive November 2010

Gene Simmons Headlines Atlantic Brand Confabulation On Jan. 14
From: Times & Transcript
Posted: November 24, 2010

Ticket sales for the Atlantic Brand Confabulation are going well.

The Jan. 14 event, taking place at Casino New Brunswick in Moncton, features Gene Simmons and two other speakers talking about branding, both business and personal branding.

"The day we announced, people were lining up in our office to get them," explains organizer Brad LeBlanc, chief entrepreneurial officer with The Momentum Group of Dieppe.

Only 850 tickets are available to the event.

"A lot of people are buying them as Christmas gifts for people; that seems to be the norm. A lot of businesses are buying them as team-building activities and as an incentive for client appreciation."

The Atlantic Brand Confabulation takes place Friday, Jan. 14, from 6-9 p.m. at Casino New Brunswick and tickets are now on sale for $249 each.

Headliner Gene Simmons, over a nearly 40-year career, has turned rock group KISS into a marketing machine, with merchandise including comic books, lunch boxes, pinball machines, computer games, wine, clothing and yes, toilet paper and coffins, featuring the faces of KISS's four members.

He operates his own record label, can be seen weekly on the hit reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels and has released best-selling books, in addition to dabbling in acting and producing bands.

As LeBlanc says, "no one questions the KISS brand."

Also on the bill for Jan. 14 is Dave Carroll, a Nova Scotia-based musician with a solo career and a band in Sons of Maxwell. Carroll slugged it out on the music scene for years before shooting to stardom seemingly overnight a few years ago when he released a music video online for his song, United Breaks Guitars. The musician will speak on the importance of social media and responsibility. One other speaker is expected to be added to the bill as well, but LeBlanc is keeping that name under wraps for now.

One of the sponsors for the event is the East Coast Music Association, which will operate a contest where one band from each of the four Atlantic provinces will be chosen to perform one song each, in front of the capacity crowd of 850 people, including Simmons himself.

Also, LeBlanc said that Gene Simmons will be making an appearance at Moncton Chrysler some time in the future for an exclusive meet-and-greet.

In addition, every time a business buys a table for the Atlantic Brand Confabulation, they will have their name entered into a draw for the chance to win a VIP meeting with Simmons.

LeBlanc says guests will be "treated like rock stars," complete with a red carpet, ice bar, photo wall, swag bags and even paparazzi.

"It's going to feel like you're walking into the after-party for the Oscars or Junos," he says.

* Tickets to the Atlantic Brand Confabulation, to be held Jan. 14, are on sale now for $249. They're available at The Momentum Group's offices, 260 Champlain St., or by phone at 854-8759. For more information, visit thebrandedtour.ca online.